Effects of surface topography on cavitation evolution of liquid film lubricated mechanical seals

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of surface topography, including surface roughness, waviness and taper, on the cavitation of liquid film lubricated mechanical seals (LFL-MS). Design/methodology/approach A universal governing equation considering cavitation is established, and an equivalent relative density is defined to characterize the cavitation degree. The equation is discretized by the finite volume method and solved by the Gauss–Seidel relaxation scheme. Findings Results indicate that both radial length and a circumferential width of the cavitation zone and cavitation degree are affected significantly by the waviness amplitude and taper, but the effect of surface roughness is limited. Originality/value Effect mechanism of surface topography on the cavitation of LFL-MS is investigated and cavitation degree is reflected by an equivalent relative density. The results further help to comprehensively explore the cavitation mechanism.